A family in Park Extension has a won a stay of deportation and will be allowed to live in Canada, for now.
The Ghotra-Singh arrived in Canada more than 10 years ago and applied for refugee status, but they have always been denied.
Their dilemma began 12 years ago in India, when Reetu Ghotra married Shimbi Singh. However Ghotra's father disapproved of the union, prompting the couple to flee to Canada.
Their lawyer, Stewart Istvanffy, said Ghotra's father made multiple threats.
"He could have killed the guy. He was telling him, you keep away from my daughter, or you're going to die. He was a guy who was in the army, who has killed before, and it was very, very dangerous," said Istvanffy.
As the case made its way through legal channels both parents found jobs in Montreal and say they have never been on welfare.
Their two children were born here, both do well in school, and sound typically Canadian, loving everything except cold winters.
But last month Ghotra and Singh were told by Canadian officials they would soon be deported.
They packed their bags and got ready to leave, but won a last-minute reprieve because Immigration Officials decided the family should not be separated.
"These two kids, they're born here. They're nine and ten years old and they consider themselves to be Canadian," said Istvanffy.
"They have no real link with India or the idea of India at all."
Istvanffy hopes the family will eventually get refugee status on humanitarian grounds.
But what's most important to Ghotra is that she will be able to keep her family together.
"I'm doing everything for my children."
